EASY WAYS TO FIND ERRORS IN SENTENCES AND CORRECTIONS IN ENGLISH - Part - 4

HUNDRED GOLDEN RULES FOR ENGLISH ( Part-IV ----- 75 TO 100 )

76. 'Hardly' and 'scarcely' should be followed by 'when' or 'before', but not by 'than' or 'that'.

Incorrect- Hardly did I reach the station, than the train left it.

Correct- Hardly did I reach the station when the train left it.

77. 'That' should not be used before a sentence in Direct Speech and before Interrogative Adverbs and Pronouns in the Indirect Speech.

1. Incorrect- He said that, "I shall go there."

Correct- He said, "I shall go there".

2. Incorrect- He asked me that who I was.

Correct- He asked me who was.

G. USES OF PREPOSITION

78. Objective case (of Noun or• Pronoun) is used after Preposition.

For example,

Incorrect- I do not depend on he.

Correct- I do not depend on him.

79. The Prepositions used after two words must be made clear if these two words are connected by and or or.

For example,

Incorrect- She is conscious and engaged in her work.

Correct- She is conscious of and engaged in her work.

80. If a Principal Verb is used after about, after, at, before. for, from, in, on. to, that Verb must be in ing (V4) form.

For example,

Incorrect- You prevented me from do it.

Correct- You prevented me from doing it. .

81. On, in, at, are not used before today, tomorrow, yesterday, the following day, the next day etc.

For example,

Incorrect- He will go there on to-morrow.

Correct- He will go there tomorrow.

82. No Preposition is used before the word home. At home is a phrase which bears a different meaning.

For example,

Incorrect- Bring a T.V. set at home.

Correct- Bring a T.V. se$ home. 83. After Transitive Verbs, like dis¬cuss, describe, reach, order, tell, demand, attack, resemble, ridicule, etc. we directly use the object and no Preposition is used after the Verb.

For example:

Incorrect- The poet describes about the beauty of naturel in this poem.

Correct- The poet describes the beauty of nature in this poem.

84. Say/suggest/propose/speak/reply/explain/talk/listen/write is followed by to-Preposition if there is a person in the form of object.

For example,

1. Incorrect- He did not reply me.

Correct- He did not reply to me. 2. Incorrect- He did not write to a letter.

Correct- He did not write a letter.

H. USES OF PRONOUNS

85. When a Pronoun is used as the complement of the Verb 'to be', it should be in the nominative case.

Incorrect- If I were him, I would not do it.

Correct- If I were he, I would not do it.

86. When the Pronoun is used as the object of a Verb or of a Preposition, it should be in the objective case.

1. Incorrect- Let you and I do it.

Correct- Let you and me do it.

2. Incorrect- These presents are for you and I.

Correct- These presents are for you and me.

87. Emphatic Pronouns can not

stand alone as Subjects~ Incorrect- Himself did it. Correct- He himself did it.

88. The Indefinite Pronoun 'one' should be used throughout if used at all.

Incorrect- One must not boast of his own success.

Correct- One must not boast of one's own success.

89. 'Either' or 'neither' is used only in speaking of two persons or things; 'any', 'no one' and 'none' is used in speaking of more than two.

1. Incorrect- Anyone of these two roads leads to the railway station.

Correct- Either of these two roads leads to the railway station.

2. Incorrect- Neither of these three boys did his homework.

Correct- No one of these three boys did his homework.

90. 'Each other' is used in speaking of two persons or things; 'one an¬other' is used in speaking of more than two.

Incorrect- The two brothers loved one another.

Correct- The two brothers loved each other.

91. A Noun or Pronoun governing a Gerund should be put in the possessive case.

Incorrect- Please excuse me being late.

Correct- Please excuse my being late.

92. A Pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.

Incorrect- Each of these boys has done their homework.

Correct- Each of these boys has done his homework.

93. When two or more Singular Nouns are joined by 'and', the Pronoun used for them must be in Plural.

Incorrect- Both Raju and Ravi have done his homework.

Correct- Both Raju and Ravi have done their homework.

94. When two or more Singular Nouns joined by 'and' refer to the same person or thing, a Pronoun used for them must be in the singular.

Incorrect- The collector and District Magistrate is not negligent in their duty.

Correct- The collector and District Magistrate is not negligent in his duty.

95. When two or more singular nouns joined by 'or' or 'nor', 'either ... or', 'neither .. nor', the Pronoun used for them should be in the singular.

Incorrect- Neither Ravi nor Raju has done their homework.

Correct- Neither Ravi nor Raju has done his homework.

96. When two or more singular Pronouns of different persons come together, the Pronoun of second per¬son singular (you) comes first, the pronoun of the first person singular (I) comes last and the pronoun of the third person singular (he) comes in between.

Incorrect- I, You and he must work together ..

Correct- You, he and I must work together.

97. When two or more plural Pro-nouns of different persons come together first person plural (we) comes first, then second person plural (you) and last of all third person plural (they).

Incorrect- You, they and we must work together ..

Correct- We, you and they must work together.

98. The Relative Pronoun who is in subjective case, whereas whom is in objective case. Therefore, for who there must be a Finite Verb in the sentence. Or otherwise, when whom (Object) is used in the sentence and there is more Finite Verb's than the number of Subjects in the sentence, then whom should be changed into who (Subject).

For example,

Incorrect- The doctor whom came here was Ram's brother.

Correct- The doctor who came here was Ram's brother.

99. With Superlative Degree Adjective, only, none, all etc., as Relative Pronoun we use that and not which or who.

For example,

Incorrect- All which glitters is not gold.

Correct- All that glitters is not gold.

100. After let, if a Pronoun is used, that Pronoun must be in the Objective Case.

76. 'Hardly' and 'scarcely' should be followed by 'when' or 'before', but not by 'than' or 'that'.

Incorrect- Hardly did I reach the station, than the train left it.

Correct- Hardly did I reach the station when the train left it.

77. 'That' should not be used before a sentence in Direct Speech and before Interrogative Adverbs and Pronouns in the Indirect Speech.

1. Incorrect- He said that, "I shall go there."

Correct- He said, "I shall go there".

2. Incorrect- He asked me that who I was.

Correct- He asked me who was.

G. USES OF PREPOSITION

78. Objective case (of Noun or• Pronoun) is used after Preposition.

For example,

Incorrect- I do not depend on he.

Correct- I do not depend on him.

79. The Prepositions used after two words must be made clear if these two words are connected by and or or.

For example,

Incorrect- She is conscious and engaged in her work.

Correct- She is conscious of and engaged in her work.

80. If a Principal Verb is used after about, after, at, before. for, from, in, on. to, that Verb must be in ing (V4) form.

For example,

Incorrect- You prevented me from do it.

Correct- You prevented me from doing it. .

81. On, in, at, are not used before today, tomorrow, yesterday, the following day, the next day etc.

For example,

Incorrect- He will go there on to-morrow.

Correct- He will go there tomorrow.

82. No Preposition is used before the word home. At home is a phrase which bears a different meaning.

For example,

Incorrect- Bring a T.V. set at home.

Correct- Bring a T.V. se$ home. 83. After Transitive Verbs, like dis¬cuss, describe, reach, order, tell, demand, attack, resemble, ridicule, etc. we directly use the object and no Preposition is used after the Verb.

For example:

Incorrect- The poet describes about the beauty of naturel in this poem.

Correct- The poet describes the beauty of nature in this poem.

84. Say/suggest/propose/speak/reply/explain/talk/listen/write is followed by to-Preposition if there is a person in the form of object.

For example,

1. Incorrect- He did not reply me.

Correct- He did not reply to me. 2. Incorrect- He did not write to a letter.

Correct- He did not write a letter.

H. USES OF PRONOUNS

85. When a Pronoun is used as the complement of the Verb 'to be', it should be in the nominative case.

Incorrect- If I were him, I would not do it.

Correct- If I were he, I would not do it.

86. When the Pronoun is used as the object of a Verb or of a Preposition, it should be in the objective case.

1. Incorrect- Let you and I do it.

Correct- Let you and me do it.

2. Incorrect- These presents are for you and I.

Correct- These presents are for you and me.

87. Emphatic Pronouns can not

stand alone as Subjects~ Incorrect- Himself did it. Correct- He himself did it.

88. The Indefinite Pronoun 'one' should be used throughout if used at all.

Incorrect- One must not boast of his own success.

Correct- One must not boast of one's own success.

89. 'Either' or 'neither' is used only in speaking of two persons or things; 'any', 'no one' and 'none' is used in speaking of more than two.

1. Incorrect- Anyone of these two roads leads to the railway station.

Correct- Either of these two roads leads to the railway station.

2. Incorrect- Neither of these three boys did his homework.

Correct- No one of these three boys did his homework.

90. 'Each other' is used in speaking of two persons or things; 'one an¬other' is used in speaking of more than two.

Incorrect- The two brothers loved one another.

Correct- The two brothers loved each other.

91. A Noun or Pronoun governing a Gerund should be put in the possessive case.

Incorrect- Please excuse me being late.

Correct- Please excuse my being late.

92. A Pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number and gender.

Incorrect- Each of these boys has done their homework.

Correct- Each of these boys has done his homework.

93. When two or more Singular Nouns are joined by 'and', the Pronoun used for them must be in Plural.

Incorrect- Both Raju and Ravi have done his homework.

Correct- Both Raju and Ravi have done their homework.

94. When two or more Singular Nouns joined by 'and' refer to the same person or thing, a Pronoun used for them must be in the singular.

Incorrect- The collector and District Magistrate is not negligent in their duty.

Correct- The collector and District Magistrate is not negligent in his duty.

95. When two or more singular nouns joined by 'or' or 'nor', 'either ... or', 'neither .. nor', the Pronoun used for them should be in the singular.

Incorrect- Neither Ravi nor Raju has done their homework.

Correct- Neither Ravi nor Raju has done his homework.

96. When two or more singular Pronouns of different persons come together, the Pronoun of second per¬son singular (you) comes first, the pronoun of the first person singular (I) comes last and the pronoun of the third person singular (he) comes in between.

Incorrect- I, You and he must work together ..

Correct- You, he and I must work together.

97. When two or more plural Pro-nouns of different persons come together first person plural (we) comes first, then second person plural (you) and last of all third person plural (they).

Incorrect- You, they and we must work together ..

Correct- We, you and they must work together.

98. The Relative Pronoun who is in subjective case, whereas whom is in objective case. Therefore, for who there must be a Finite Verb in the sentence. Or otherwise, when whom (Object) is used in the sentence and there is more Finite Verb's than the number of Subjects in the sentence, then whom should be changed into who (Subject).

For example,

Incorrect- The doctor whom came here was Ram's brother.

Correct- The doctor who came here was Ram's brother.

99. With Superlative Degree Adjective, only, none, all etc., as Relative Pronoun we use that and not which or who.

For example,

Incorrect- All which glitters is not gold.

Correct- All that glitters is not gold.

100. After let, if a Pronoun is used, that Pronoun must be in the Objective Case.